Editing Folate (section)

===Australia and New Zealand===
[[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]] jointly agreed to wheat flour fortification through the [[Food Standards Australia New Zealand]] in 2007. The requirement was set at 135&nbsp;μg of folate per 100&nbsp;g of bread. Australia implemented the program in 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/nutrition/folicmandatory/Pages/default.aspx|title=Folic Acid Fortification|date=2016|website=Food Standards Australia New Zealand|access-date=25 September 2018|archive-date=26 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926051839/http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/nutrition/folicmandatory/Pages/default.aspx}}</ref> New Zealand was also planning to fortify bread (excluding organic and unleavened varieties) starting in 2009, but then opted to wait until more research was done. The Association of Bakers and the [[Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand|Green Party]] had opposed mandatory fortification, describing it as "mass medication".<ref>{{cite press release|title=Work Starts on Wilkinson's Mass Medication Plan|publisher=Association Of Bakers|date=8 July 2009|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0907/S00210.htm|access-date=13 July 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710084803/http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0907/S00210.htm|archive-date=10 July 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|title=NZ should push pause on folic fortification|publisher=Green Party|date=9 July 2009|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0907/S00132.htm|access-date=13 July 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710015728/http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0907/S00132.htm|archive-date=10 July 2009}}</ref> Food Safety Minister [[Kate Wilkinson (politician)|Kate Wilkinson]] reviewed the decision to fortify in July 2009, citing as reasons to oppose claims for links between over consumption of folate with increased risk of cancer.<ref>{{cite news|author=NZPA|title=Bakers, Govt battle over folic acid|publisher=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=8 July 2009|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/food/news/article.cfm?c_id=206&objectid=10583249|access-date=13 July 2009|archive-date=14 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214223246/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/food/news/article.cfm?c_id=206&objectid=10583249|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2012 the delayed mandatory fortification program was revoked and replaced by a voluntary program, with the hope of achieving a 50% bread fortification target.<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Houghton LA|title=A country left behind: folic acid food fortification policy in New Zealand|journal=The New Zealand Medical Journal|volume=127|issue=1399|pages=6–9|date=August 2014|pmid=25145300}}</ref>